Connecting Program Economics to Student Success at Rutgers University–Newark
Impact at a Glance
Strengthened collaboration across finance, academics, and student services
Established shared definitions for more consistent data analysis
Applied program-level cost analysis to strategic budget planning
Expanded finance's role in student-centered decision-making
Built a foundation for linking resource decisions to student outcomes
The Challenge
Rutgers University–Newark (RU-N), a regional campus of Rutgers University in New Jersey, faced growing financial pressures, with approximately 65% of revenue coming from tuition and declining state support. Leaders needed a clearer understanding of program costs, resource needs, and their relationship to student success.
The university wanted to:
Connect financial, enrollment, and student success data across departments
Establish consistent definitions and assumptions for institutional data
Better understand program-level instructional costs
Involve finance earlier in academic and resource planning
Align financial sustainability with student success priorities
Data was spread across multiple systems, and departments often used different definitions and reporting practices, making coordinated analysis and decision-making difficult.
The Action
Rutgers University–Newark partnered with Rutgers Business School and Trivium BI to use NACUBO's Program Scanner to analyze program economics and strengthen strategic budget decisions.
The university:
Established cross-functional collaboration among finance, institutional effectiveness, enrollment, student affairs, and academic schools
Used Rutgers Business School as a pilot for analyzing program-level instructional costs
Developed shared definitions for student populations and institutional metrics
Documented data assumptions, methodologies, and limitations
Addressed data integration and access challenges across institutional systems
Engaged stakeholders throughout the analysis to build trust and shared understanding
The approach shifted conversations beyond enrollment figures and budget variances toward understanding how programs, resources, and student support investments contribute to institutional priorities.
The Results
Immediate Impact
- Established a shared decision-making process involving finance, academics, enrollment, and student services
- Positioned finance as an earlier strategic partner in institutional planning
- Launched a program-level cost-of-instruction analysis through Rutgers Business School
- Improved transparency around data definitions, assumptions, and methodologies
Process Improvements
- Strengthened consistency in how institutional data is defined and interpreted
- Increased collaboration and trust across departments
- Shifted discussions from retrospective financial reporting to strategic planning
- Created a framework for connecting program economics with student success priorities
- Established a foundation for expanding program-level analysis across the university
Process Improvements
- Continue refining shared data definitions and analytical practices
- Expand program-level cost analysis beyond Rutgers Business School
- Use financial and student data to inform retention, graduation, and career readiness strategies
- Strengthen collaboration and shared accountability across departments
- Keep equitable student outcomes central to resource allocation and long-term financial sustainability
“Finance was usually brought in at the end. Through the work we're doing with NACUBO, we're now sitting at the table helping guide conversations and decisions in which we previously weren't involved.””
Robbie Campbell-LissadeSenior Director of Strategic Planning and Finance